Platform Systems (MPS) team, which is part of the Ships Operating Centre within Defence Equipment & Support organisation, provides global support to Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships and submarines.
In planning for the future, the Ships Operating Centre is driving forward a Common Support Model, transforming support delivered to all complex warships by a converged, high performing, cost effective support model underpinned by a common approach to class, design and equipment management. The aspiration is to have the Common Support Model in place in time to support the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers and Type 45 Destroyers from the end of November 2016.
As part of the Common Support Model, MPS is planning to transform its organisation structure and ways of working from equipment to systems lines, by implementing its new Marine Systems Hub (MSH). To support its implementation of the MSH, and in view of the timelines to support QEC/T45, MPS is considering contracting for one or more Support Partners, who will be responsible for working alongside the MOD team to provide a range of services covering spares, systems repairs and post design services (including provision of technical SQEP) for maritime platform equipment. The support will primarily cover T45 and QEC but legacy equipment may be incorporated in the future, and as appropriate, future warship and submarine platforms in the Fleet.
In view of the diverse nature of the equipment MPS has described this requirement as 4 systems - Power & Propulsion; Environmental, Domestic & Habitability; Platform Systems; Mechanical & Constructive; allowing a maximum of four contracts to be placed. A single contract may be placed if all four systems are awarded to one company as they provided the Most Economically Advantageous Tender for each System.
The potential contract/s will be placed with Platform Systems Support Partner(s) who will be required to undertake Engineering and Logistics support activities for T45/QEC Systems and Equipment and will discharge these responsibilities as part of the Systems Technical Authority (STA). The role of the STA is to provide guidance and advice to the MPS Systems Approving Authority (SAA), who has responsibility for ensuring system integrity on behalf of the Platform Safety Duty Holder.

The STA will provide assurance to the SAA:
that design change has been holistically integrated into the relevant system;
provide evidence-based assurance to the SAA that the solution meets the Design Intent at the system level;
Supports Ships OC Duty Holders in diagnosing system failures and providing an emergency response service to the Navy on constraints to be placed on operational activity when using systems outside their design intent; and
Identifies opportunities for improvement of system design.

In some instances the Authority may consider delegating the equipment approving authority role to the STA.